Without a Shadow of a Doubt
by Little Tsu
Summary: A peek into the past of a young trainer from Sinnoh & how she met the one pokemon that has stuck by her side through it all.


_Little Tsu: Hello everyone. While I'm putting together the ideas that I have for the next chapter of 'My World', I've also come across this idea of a little Pokemon one-shot. Something simple, yet heartwarming that shows into the past of just how a young trainer named Kira met her very first pokemon & best friend. Now on with the story._

**Without a Shadow of a Doubt**

"Kira! Kira, wake up! It's not healthy for a growing girl to sleep in. It's a beautiful day so why don't you go out and play for till lunch time?"

That was my big brother. He was currently visiting from being out on his pokemon journies as a trainer. He's already gotten really, really tough even though he's only thirteen right now. All of his pokemon are Psychic types though...I never really understood why some people favored a certain type, but I guess it's just how they are or something...Maybe it's one of those 'I'll understand when I'm older' kind of things.

Anyways, my name's Kira and I live here in Snowpoint City. I'm only four-years-old right now, but I'll be turning five pretty soon. People say that I'm different from other kids around my age...They say that I'm really smart for my age and that it's also a bit unusual to beable to understand what pokemon say. I don't mind being different though. That just means I'm special, right?

After I got dressed, I hurried downstairs and smiled as I saw my big brother pop his head out from around the corner from in the kitchen. He smiled at me and his eyes held a really big warmth in them from behind his glasses. His Gallade was helping him out in fixing lunch. I always enjoyed playing with him...My brother's Gallade, I mean. He also had a little brother, who was still a Ralts. He's not my or my brother's pokemon, but instead a wild pokemon that lives with us.

"Kira? Why don't you take Benitora with you? I'm sure he'd like to go play with you outside." My big brother, whose name was Lucian by way, snapped me out of my little thoughts, but I didn't mind. Nodding my head in return, I smiled in my usual cheerful manner. "Kay! Come on Benitora. Lets go play in the snow and pretend that we're on a pokemon journey!" With an happy little cry, the small male ralts followed me quickly as I hurried out the front door after slipping on my snow boots.

While we were playing out in the snow, Benitora and I ended up getting further and further away from not only our house, but also Snowpoint City as well. We were doing a lot of exploring in the forests and hopping through the snow. It got pretty deep in some areas to where I almost got stuck, but the ralts had used his Psychic to get me out everytime so I was happy we had taught him such a useful move. However, the further we traveled into the forest, the darker it seemed to get. We'd never gone this far into the forest by ourselves before. Not without my brother or Gallade at least so admittedly it was kinda scary.

As we were exploring though, I stopped suddenly when I heard some rustling sounds in the snow covered bushes. Thinking it was a pokemon that was about to attack us, I had Benitora get ready to fight even though we were nervous and a little bit more scared than before since we didn't know what kind of pokemon it would end up being. When the bushes shifted even more though, the pokemon stepped out, but what we saw made my eyes widen in surprise.

It was a young Sneasel. Judging from the length of his feathered ear, the pokemon was a male, but he was also badly injured with cuts and bruises all over his body. The pokemon spotted me and my friend in the slight distance and seemed to get into a fighting position as if he thought we were about to attack him, but as he took another step forward, the Sneasel finally shuddered in pain and collapsed onto the snowy ground.

Panicking as I saw this happen, I hurried over to the Dark/Ice type's side and helped him up, though it was a bit of a struggle for me considering my own size and lack of much physical strength to carry him. Of course, Benitora ended up helping me out to make it easier on me by using Psychic again. Once we were sure that we wouldn't drop him, we quickly, but carefully headed back home; not wanting to injure the pokemon any further.

As we headed home though, I had noticed something odd about this Sneasel that made him stand out against the rest. His claws weren't white...Instead, they were a crimson red. I had noticed earlier that his eyes were also an icy blue color instead of fiery red. He wasn't a shiny that was for sure cause they were pink and yellow so I don't know how this Sneasel was different like this.

After we made it home, I had explained to Lucian about what happened and he helped me out in getting the pokemon's wounds tended to and bandaged up. He told me that I should have taken him to the Pokemon Center instead, but I had said that I wanted to take care of him and make sure that he was ok. Of course, my brother eventually gave in since there never was any sense in trying to talk me out of something once I had made up my mind...It never worked.

When the next day came around, I woke up bright and early to check on our guest. However, when I stepped into the room, he wasn't there anymore. Instead, the window was opened. Apparently, the Sneasel had regained consciousness and left only recently because there was only a few flurries of snow on the floor.

Over the next few days, I went back deep into the forest, hoping that I'd find him. I was worried about his condition and I kept hoping that he was ok out there. I couldn't help that I was concerned about the Sneasel. He was unlike any of the other Sneasel that I had ever seen in my life...It really made me want to befriend him...Maybe I'd have better luck and find him tomorrow.

A week had passed since then though and it was finally my fifth birthday. We had thrown a party for me and I was having fun, but...I still couldn't stop thinking about that Sneasel I had found injured a week ago...I kept hoping that he was doing ok out there by himself or if he head finally found his pack and joined up with them again...Then again...What if he was out there somewhere hurt again? Closing my eyes, I shook my head fiercely, trying to get such a thought out of my head before my chocolate brown eyes opened again with a determined look in them.

I had to go back out there and find him.

And I did...I snuck away from my own party to go search for that pokemon that I just couldn't stop thinking about. As I searched though, I stopped when I suddenly heard rustling to my left. Immediately thinking it was Sneasel, I stepped towards the bushes to check, only to suddenly fall backwards onto the ground below, getting snow in my long blue green hair. My eyes widened in surprise as I saw an Ursaring leap out. The pokemon was huge compared to me and he looked really angry. Maybe I was in his territory? Whatever the reason was, I knew that look in the pokemon's eyes. He wanted me gone.

Getting scared for my life, I quickly scrambled up onto my feet and made a run for it even though it was difficult to run very fast through snow. I heard the pokemon roar and give chase. I could hear him gaining quickly and when I glanced back at him, I cried out in panic and fear as I quickly dove onto the ground, narrowly avoiding the sharp claws of the Ursaring as he used Slash, slicing his claws right across the trunk of the tree right in front of me, leaving deep gashes in it.

As I turn around and back up while still on the ground, my back becomes pressed up against the now scarred tree and I know that I'm trapped; unable to get away as the Ursaring was looming over me with his fangs bared; his claws gleaming. Just as he lifts his arm up above his head about to strike, I clench my eyes tightly shut and turn my head, prepared to get struck down.

However,...the attack never came. Instead,...there was a loud, pained roar from the pokemon.

Opening my eyes back up, I direct my attention towards what was in front of me and I gasp slightly in surprise as standing there right in front of me was the none other than the very Sneasel that I had helped out a week ago; the one that I had found badly injured that day. After a week of unsuccessful searching though, here he was; standing between myself and the scary Ursaring, who now had bloody claw marks down over his left eye & cheek. The Sneasel was actually protecting me.

As the Ursaring released a roar and lashed out again, I cried out for the Dark/Ice type to watch out. Apparently, I had no need to do that though as he used his speed to suddenly duck out of the way of the much larger pokemon's claws and leaped up into the air while his claws began to glow silver. He then lashed out with both of his claws in a downward swipe in front of him, striking the giant bear pokemon on his chest, sending him crashing onto the snowy ground with a pained roar.

When Sneasel saw that the pokemon wasn't getting back up, he turned halfway around and glanced over at me through his icy blue eyes. Seeing the injuries completely healed and not a single scar left on him, I wasn't sure if it was because of that or the fact that I had been so scared for my life just moments ago, but I actually started to cry, which probably startled the young pokemon before me if his expression was any guess. After a few moments though, I finally dried up my tears before they froze onto my cheeks and smiled brightly at the Sneasel before me.

"Thank you...You saved my life just now from that scary Ursaring. I guess we're even now, huh?" When the pokemon nodded his head, I smiled again and slowly rose back up onto my feet, brushing the snow off of my clothes and hair as best as I could. "Thank you again Sneasel...I'm also really glad that your injuries are all healed...I was really worried when I couldn't find you, but I'm relieved to know that you're ok now...I hope we see each other again someday Sneasel."

With that, I turned around and started to walk off. As I did though, I heard the sound of footsteps through the snow behind me. Stopping in my tracks, I glance behind me and blink slightly in confusion as I find that Sneasel was actually following me. "Huh? What is it? Why are you following me?" The Sneasel merely lifted his crimson claw and pointed silently towards my face. After a moment of silence, I finally figured out what he was silently trying to tell me.

"You...want to come...with me?"

Sneasel nodded his head. That was the only response I needed as I suddenly turn back around to face him completely and closed the distance as I hugged the pokemon close to me while laughing happily. Sneasel was blushing slightly, but I could see the little smile on his face when I hugged him. I knew that he was happy with the decision that he had made.

"I promise Sneasel. I'll take good care of you. We'll grow up together and when I'm old enough, we'll travel all over, going on journies and battling other trainers. We'll become the best team ever in all the regions." Pulling back, I smiled brightly still, but then got a thoughtful look on my face. "Hm...You need a name, huh? Well, even though you're an Ice type, you're also a Dark type, but it needs to be something that suits you perfectly...Something that has meaning to it...Ah. I know! How about I call you Shadow?"

The Sneasel stared at me for only a moment as he was probably letting the name sound out in his head before finally smiling back at me again as he nodded his head.

That was how I Shadow and I became a team and quickly became the best of friends. Ever since that day, we never never left each other's sides; always facing everything together, no matter what it was.

...That was eight years ago.

_**{Eight years later}**_

Now here I am, standing right in front of the Sinnoh League. Three years had passed since I left home in Snowpoint City to begin my journey with my best friend at my side and now after all that hard work and training, I'm finally ready...Ready to take on not only the Elite Four and the Sinnoh Champion, Catherine, but also - and most importantly to me - the strongest of the Elite Four;...my big brother, Lucian.

Taking a deep breath, I slowly let it out, hoping it'd calm my racing heartbeat a little bit before finally smiling and glancing down at the pokemon that stood next to me; a male weavile with icy blue eyes and crimson claws...The very pokemon that had been at my side since that faithful day eight years ago. "We've finally made it Shadow...So you ready to take on the biggest challenges of our lives?"

Shadow glanced up at me and narrowed his eyes in determination while a matching smile was on his features as he nodded his head firmly once. Smiling back once again, I nod in return and face the large building before me once more before finally taking my first step towards as we both walked towards our greatest challenge yet and the battles that would decide if I was ready to take my brother's place in the Elite Four.

However, as we walked towards our destinies, I wasn't afraid...Instead, I was full of confidence because I knew...that Shadow would be right there beside me the entire way and far beyond.

I knew that was all that really mattered to us. I knew...without a shadow of a doubt.

_**END**_

_Little Tsu: Well? How was it? It was pretty different compared to my other stories, but I thought it turned out pretty good still. It told the story of how Kira & Shadow met & became a team, only to end in the future with them finally about to face their ultimate challenge yet together, showing that the two had come a lot way since that day with the Ursaring. Anyways, I hoped that you enjoyed it & please review to this & my other stories. Good reviews gives me confidence to continue writing. Thanks again!^^_


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